DE3426524A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GUARANTEING THE ACCURACY OF BILLING DATA IN AN ELECTRONIC franking machine - Google Patents

Description

PATENT AND LAWYERS

PATENTANWÄLTE DIPL.-ΙΝβ. W. EITLE DR. RER. NAT. K. HOFFMANN DIPL.-INQ. W. LEHN

DIPL.-INQ. K. FÜCHSLE. DR. RER. NAT. B. HANSEN. DR. RER. NAT. HA. BRAUNS DIPL.-INQ. K. GDRQ

DIPL.-INQ. K. KOHLMANN · LAWYER A. NETTE

- 5 - 40 499 q / gt

PITNEY BOWES INC., Stamford / USA

Procedure and system to ensure the Accuracy of accounting data in one

electronic postage meter

The invention relates to electronic postage meter machines and, more particularly, to a method and an apparatus to ensure the accuracy of the accounting of postage fees printed in such a franking machine.

Electronic postage meters with an electronic accounting device and electronic storage registers are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,457 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,507. In such electronic postage meters Means must be provided to ensure that any printed postage value invariably billed in the franking machine registers. During normal processes and operations in the franking machine ensure the current supply voltage while the supply voltage is continuously switched on electronic franking machines a reasonable and accurate maintenance of accounting data.

ARABELLASTRASSE 4 D-8OOO MUNICH 81. TELEPHONE COB93 911O87 · TELEX 5-29619 CPATHE}. TELECOPER 9183Se

In previous mechanical postage meters, certain mechanical interconnections were provided between the postage printing device and the mechanical accounting devices so that there are no situations or There were states in which printing was not invariably accompanied by updating the mechanical accounting register. However, electronic registers cannot interact in certain ways with the Printing device are coupled. The operation of the postage printing device and the postage accounting device can generally fail if, for example, the supply voltage of the electronic accounting system fails for a certain time during a print cycle. Various techniques have been proposed in the past to overcome this problem. For example, an auxiliary or backup voltage or energy source, such as e.g. a capacitor, used to provide enough voltage or power to complete a billing cycle at Complete failure of the main power supply, as explained in particular in US Pat. No. 3,978,457. Additionally As can be seen from US Pat. No. 4,253,015, a mechanical counter can be coupled to the printing device are, the position or setting of the counter is compared with a counter reading in a non-volatile accounting memory is stored to determine whether a print cycle has occurred without a corresponding billing cycle.

The present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for the immutable Ensuring the correct postage billing, in an electronic franking machine, to thus any need for an auxiliary or

Minimize support services to ensure the termination of billing cycles.

In accordance with the invention, a part of the working memory of the accounting system is designed in such a way that that it serves as a marking or identifier, while another part of the memory is designed so that it serves as a "postage charge field" in which data is stored in accordance with the current setting of the postage meter machine are. Additionally, the work accounting memory includes at least one set of accounting registers, such as increasing, decreasing and checksums or checksums registers. The program of the franking machine, such as a microcomputer-controlled franking machine, causes the gradual switching or another characteristic change in the identifier during of a print cycle, so that if the operating voltage supply fails, the setting of the indicator is positive Creates an indication of the point of interruption of the accounting cycle. Therefore, when you turn on the The program will perform the testing of this indicator and the resumption, if necessary, at the appropriate or right place.

In one embodiment of the invention, the accounting memory is that for accounting purposes in normal use is used, i.e. the main memory, a non-volatile memory. It includes "old" and "new" data field registers. The program sequentially updates and holds the data in two sets of registers characteristic states of the marking or the label at every step of the up-to-date bring the register upright. Hence, the exact

The point of interruption or stopping of any previous billing cycle can be precisely determined during a power on cycle so that the billing cycle works properly if necessary can be terminated.

In further embodiments of the invention, the Main memory can be a non-volatile memory with program steps that are used to transfer a minimum of required data are provided in a non-volatile memory in the event of a power failure. the Reduction of the required data transfer reduces the requirements for temporary operating voltages for the implementation and facilitation of such a transfer.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the Working memories have a single set of accounting registers, the program modifying the Executes data in such registers sequentially in a part, e.g. by means of a single additional transfer register, with the characteristic again at each stage of the update the register is occupied. This arrangement reduces the amount of memory used in the accounting system is required.

The invention makes it possible to ensure the accuracy when billing the printed postage in simple and economical way and is not in the event of a power failure during a printing cycle adversely affected.

The invention is characterized by the features contained in the characterizing part of the claim.

Further advantageous features are contained in the subclaims.

The invention is illustrated below with the aid of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. Show it

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic postage meter in accordance with a first Embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of the operational part of the franking machine according to FIG. 1 for accounting for the postage printing,
15th

3 is a flow chart showing the updating of the accounting in the postage meter machine represents in the operating voltage switched-on state,

4 is a block diagram of a modification of the postage meter system;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of the accounting system of FIG

Franking machine according to FIGS. 4, 25

Fig. 6 is a flow chart of the accounting in the operational

Switch on the voltage in the franking machine

according to Fig. 4, and

Figure 7 is a block diagram of a modified memory system for the franking machine.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig.

a franking machine is shown in this, which e.g. a microprocessor or microcomputer system 10, a postage printer 11, which is connected to the accounting system and a keyboard input 12 as well has a display output 13, which is also connected to the Billing system is connected. The display 13 is designed optically, while the keyboard input 12 is an alternative can be connected to the data and control input, e.g. of an addressing and franking machine.

The microprocessor accounting system may, for example, be of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,978,457 and U.S. Patent No. 3,978,457 4 301 507, with modifications in the program and organization of the accounting memory as follows will be described.

The microprocessor accounting system includes program memory 14 such as read only memory (ROM) and a work accounting memory 15 having a plurality of accounting registers. In accordance with the invention these registers include the postage field 16, tags or markings 17, registers 18 for storing "old" data and register 19 for storing "new" data. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 according to the invention the main memory 15 is a non-volatile memory, so that in the different registers of the memory Stored data are not lost when the operating voltage is removed from the postage meter machine system.

The mode of operation of the franking machine according to the invention Art will now be clarified with reference to the flow chart of FIG. Block 30 sets the states of the registers in the franking machine when the franking machine is full

has deducted the postage for the previous printing process. In these states they are in the old ones Data field registers 18 are identical to the data stored in the new data field registers 19. These registers may, for example, comprise conventional rising and falling registers, as well as registers such as e.g. Tax or checksum registers or checksum registers, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent 3,978,457.

In addition, the identification part 17 of the memory is on Set zero. The postage field 16 is set to any current setting of the print wheels of the printer 11 or set. Adjustment of the print wheels of the printer can be carried out by conventional techniques as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent 3,978,457. In response to instruction 31 for the franking machine the flag is set to the value "1", as indicated in block 32, to start a print cycle.

This start of the printing cycle can be done, for example, by a conventional Switching lever are initiated, which responds to the printing of the postage fee in a printing position or it can respond to direct input signals, e.g. from an addressing and franking machine or in some other way, speak to. The program of the postage meter machine is responsive to the input signal of such print data to the identifier to be set to the value "1". While the postage is being printed in printer 11, this brings Program of the accounting system to transfer the memory to the new

30 '"*' -" was valid by modifying the in the new Data field registers stored data in accordance with the print wheel settings, as indicated by those in the postage field 16 stored data is marked.

In response to this step, the flag 17 is set to the value "2" in block 33 according to FIG. 2, as in block shown. The program now continues to set the data in the old data field registers 18 so that they is equal to the newly updated data in the new data field registers 19, as shown in block 3b shown: is. Scniießlxch is, as illustrated in Bxock i6 is, the flag is set to "0", the franking machine fully billed the printed postage value and is ready for another print cycle.

It will be understood that other settings of the flags could alternatively be used.

At the moment when the supply voltage of the Franking machine fails, be it intentionally or accidentally, it is of course necessary to determine whether or not the franking machine has fully billed for any printed postage. So if the If the accounting system's power supply fails at some point during the print cycle, the registers are not allowed to do so can be fully updated even after the print cycle has ended. The performance or Operating voltage program is with reference to the invention for the elimination of errors resulting from such Power failure result, shown in the flow chart of FIG. When switched on or put on again The program in block 40 effects any necessary initialization of the voltage supply. The program leads then the testing of the identifier 17 to the progressive operation of the franking machine by previous Check pressure cycles. If this test shows that the

Flags are set to zero, it is apparent that the data fields are up to date and that no further accounting is necessary. Therefore, the program enables further measurement operations, as in Block 42 is indicated.

On the other hand, if testing of the flag shows that the flag is set to the value "1", it is apparent that the power supply was interrupted after the postage printing cycle began and before the update of all registers was completed . The program therefore brings the data in the new data field registers up to date in accordance with the content of the postage field and the old data field in accordance with block 43, whereupon the flag is set to the value "2" in accordance with block 44. The program then adjusts the old data field registers to make them the same as the new data field registers, as shown in block 4 5. This is followed by the setting of the identifier to zero in accordance with block 46 and the release to continue the franking machine ² machine operations in block 42.

If the test of the license plate shows that the license plate setting Was "2", it is apparent that the new data field registers were properly updated while the old data field registers were not properly updated. Therefore, in in this case the old data field registers in block 4 5 brought up to date, after which the flag is brought to the value zero in block 46, and after which the Continuation of the franking machine program according to block 4 is enabled or enabled.

Instead of providing non-volatile memory In the device of FIG. 1, the postage meter machine can alternatively have a volatile work accounting memory 50 and a non-volatile auxiliary accounting memory 51, as can be seen from FIG. 4. In a device of this type, such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,978 457, the normal accounting functions are performed using volatile memory executed, the accounting data to the non-volatile accounting memory at the moment of the failure of the operating voltage be transmitted. In systems of this type it is common to have an auxiliary power supply such as e.g. to use a capacitor to enable data transfer in the event of a failure of the main operating voltage. A "Transfer" memories of the type shown in FIG. 4 can use accounting logic in such a way that as mentioned with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, with the additional steps of storing all of them Data from the volatile memory into the non-volatile memory when the supply voltage drops and the Recovering the volatile memory data in the initial stages upon recovery the power supply.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, in order to minimize the data transfer required, the Operating voltage rise and operating voltage drop states in accordance with the invention are non-volatile Areas of the accounting memory with identifier 52 and a postage fee field 53 and with only one Group of data field registers 54 provided. The volatile accounting memory 50, on the other hand, includes the tags 55, the postage fee field 56, the old data field

register 57 and the new data field register 58.

Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of the postage rate operation under power increase conditions for the postage meter According to FIG. 4, as in the device according to FIGS. 1 to 3, the flag is initially set to zero. The old data field registers are set to the same values as the new data field registers. That Postage field contains each current print wheel setting. These register settings are the settings of the volatile main memory according to block 60. The postage meter machine is continuously responsive and sensitive to the occurrence of a power or voltage failure, e.g. in test blocks 61, 64 and 67 to enable the postage accounting data to be stored in the non-volatile Memory to be preserved and saved. These tests can of course be carried out on the basis of an interrupt that is initialized by the power failure or fall-off condition as directly as a step in the accounting sequence, as can be seen from FIG. Apart from that of the conditions that detect the power failure, the routine of FIG. 5 is general the same as that of Fig. 2 with the flag set to "1" in block 63 in the order of the beginning a print cycle in block 62. Similarly, the flag is set to the value "2" in block 66, which step follows to update the accounting in the new data field registers in block 6 5. The flag is set to the value zero in block 70, which step is the setting of the old data field register the same values in the new data field registers in block 6-9 follow.

If a power failure occurs at a point in time in which the indicator is set to the value zero, e.g. in the test according to block 61 or on an interrupt However, the tags, postage field, and data in the old data field registers are transferred to non-volatile memory, as illustrated in block 62A is. Similarly, if the power supply fails at a time when the license plate is on the value "1" is set, e.g. in step 64 or in response to an interrupt, the flags, the postage field and retransmit the data from the old data field registers to the non-volatile memory, as shown in FIG Block 62A can be seen. However, if the indicator has the value "2" at the time of the power failure is set, as detected in block 67, or in response to an interrupt, the flags become the postage field and transfer the data of the new data field register to the non-volatile memory, as shown in block 68 can be seen.

Because the non-volatile memory only has a set of data field registers the transfer of only one of a new or old data field register from the volatile Memory will run in a shorter time.

This requires less temporary storage of operating power for the transfer.

When the power or voltage supply increases, as can be seen from Fig. 6, the program performs any desired Specialization in block 80 and transfers the identifier and postage field from the non-volatile Memory in the volatile memory, namely in block The identifier transmitted in this way is tested in block 82,

to determine where the data field will be stored should and whether or not a update is required. If the test shows that the flag is zero, it is evident that no accounting is required. Hence the content the data register from the non-volatile memory in the old data field registers and the new data field registers of the volatile memory, as illustrated in block 83. The franking machine program can then continue, as can be seen from block 84.

If the test of the flag shows a value of "1", it can be seen that the accounting of the last print cycle has not been executed. Therefore, the accounting data is transferred to the old data field registers in block 85 fed. The billing brings about the updating of the data in accordance with the setting of the postage field in block 86. The flag is set to the value "2" in block 87. Thereafter the old data field registers are set so that as shown in block 88, they are equal to the new data field registers. Then the identifier is in block 89 set to the value zero. The postage meter program can then continue as shown in block 84.

If the test of the flags in block 82 results in the setting of the value "2", it is evident that the Billing has been carried out and that the data stored in the non-volatile memory are for the last print operation were taken into account. Therefore, as per block 90, the data is placed in the new data field register and stored in the old data field register in accordance with block 88, whereupon in block 89 the setting of the identifier to the

Value zero takes place and after which the postage meter machine program is enabled and continued in accordance with block 84 can.

In some postage meter accounting systems, the main memory that is available for the accounting data is limited, e.g. if it is necessary to include all accounting data memories in the microprocessor chip to be included. In such a case it is quite possible that there is not enough storage space for the complete sets of the old data field registers and new data field registers as they are in the facility 1 and 4 can be used. In this case, the accounting memory should be organized as it is from 7, with identifier 90, a postage field 91 and a single group of data field registers 92, which e.g. and a single additional transfer register. In this facility you can the data are brought up to date sequentially in different registers and that by immediate Transfer to the transmission or transfer registers, the identifiers having additional set positions and at each stage of modification, the contents of the registers are incremented. E.g. the falling registers are initially brought up to date by transferring the ones in them Data in the transfer register by incremental progression of the identifier, by bringing it up to date of the data in the descending registers and by again incrementally advancing the identifier. The rising ones Registers are then updated in a similar manner

Status brought with the further gradual advancement of the indicators, after which the checksum regxster as next is brought up to date with a further step-by-step increment of the license plates. That on Updating the registers can of course be performed similarly in smaller incremental steps or steps, where each step is represented or represented by a specific characteristic. is embodied. A separate flag can be used to indicate to the registry that it is currently on the is brought up to date. As a result, the characteristics allow during a power failure a print cycle, the determination of the accounting progress, so that the accounting process ends correctly can be when the operating power or voltage returns to the system.

While the invention has been explained and described with reference to a limited number of embodiments it is evident that changes and modifications can be made in these exemplary embodiments, which do not change the subject matter of the invention.

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Claims (9)

HOFFMANN · ERLE & PAf ^ NER ^ A? R R? A. PATENT-ONO RECHTSANWÄLTE "0 H Z D 0 Z H PATENTANWÄLTE DIPL.-ΙΝΘ. W. EITLE. DR. RER. NAT. K. HOFFMANN DIPL.-1NG. W. LEHN DIPL.-ING. K. FOCHSLE. DR. RER. NAT. B. HANSEN ■ DR. RER. NAT. HA. BRAUNS DIPL.-ING. K. GCIRG DIPL.-ING. K. KOHLMANN · LAWYER A. NETTE - 1 - 40 499 q / gt PITNEY BOWES INC., Stamford / USA Procedure and system to ensure the Accuracy of accounting data in one electronic postage meter PATENT CLAIMS: '1 .j Electronic franking machine with an electronic Accounting system, with a memory and a data input and one coupled to the accounting system Printer, the memory being an accounting memory to maintain accounting for a printed postage fee and a program memory to control the printing process of the postage fee and to settle the printed postage fee, characterized in that the program memory contains a program for setting an identifier in a distinctive and distinctive manner during a variety of different points in time during the updating of the billing process in the accounting memory, and that there is a power increase program which is based on ARABELLASTRASSE 4 D-8000 MUNICH 81 ■ TELEPHONE CO893 911O87 TELEX 5-29619 CPATHEJ TELECOPER 91835t responsive to the states of the flag to complete any accounting operation that was not completed in a print cycle prior to the loss of service.
5 2. Electronic postage meter with an electronic accounting system, with a memory and a data input and a printer coupled to the accounting system, the memory having a Accounting memory for maintaining accounting of a printed postage fee and a Program memory for controlling the printing process of the postage fee and for accounting for the printed postage fee having, characterized in that the accounting memory has a postage field for storage the current setting of the printer, a flag field and at least two data fields of having at least one accounting register, the program memory having a program for distinguishing and characteristically setting the accounting memory label field at different levels of bringing the accounting register up to date and the setting of the indicators responds in the power increase sequence to continue any accounting sequence that occurred during a earlier service failure was started. 3. Electronic franking machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the data fields first and second sets of accounting data registers, and that the program stores the data in the registers in a print cycle sequentially on the Bring up to date and change the marks so that they are up to date with the steps of the Bring the register to match. 4. Electronic franking machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the accounting memory is a non-volatile memory. 5. Electronic franking machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the accounting memory is a volatile memory, and that a non-volatile memory for storing the identification and the postage field and the data of at least one set of accounting registers is provided, and that means for data transmission from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory in the event of a power failure and for transferring of the data from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory in the power-up operation is provided. 6. Electronic franking machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the non-volatile memory contains a single set of accounting has registers that the program transfers the identifier and the postage field in the volatile memory causes in a power increase cycle and on the setting of the characteristics for Transfer of the data from the accounting registers of the non-volatile memory to certain accounting registers of the volatile memory responds. 7. Electronic franking machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the accounting register have at least one rising and falling register and one further register, which respond to the coordination of the attitudes of the rising and falling registers. 8. Procedure for maintaining the statement of the printed in an electronic postage meter printer 0 postage fee, characterized in that at least an accounting register is updated in a variety of steps while at for each of the steps an identifier is modified so as to be distinctive and identifying, the identifier display in a distinctive and distinctive way the level of billing up-to-date . 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the indicators are dependent on the activation of the operating power to be tested on the franking machine, and that the accounting is updated is continued in the registers depending on the setting of the license plate, with each billing, which was not carried out before a service failure, invariable with a new one Activation of the operating power is ended.